Musical handbells may be individually adjusted to produce different types of sounds by rotating the clapper head. Handbells with this type of clapper have a rotatable head which includes striking elements of different compressibility arranged around the periphery of a round head. By rotating a head to a different position, active striking elements are changed from one to another. As different elements are selected, the sound of the bell can be varied from a sharper sound, when the striking element is made of a hard, less compressible material, to a softer sound if the active striking element is softer, i.e., more compressible.
The problem with the prior art adjustable clapper assemblies is that the striking elements wear out quickly and need to be replaced. Because the individual elements have only a very small available surface area, the strikers need to be replaced frequently, especially in larger bells where the striking force is greater. This requires disassembly of the clapper head and installing a new striker element.
Patent references which illustrate this type of adjustable clapper assembly include U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,535 issued to Hayward; U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,400 issued to Keenan et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,253,574 issued to Malta. These references disclose rotatable clapper heads capable of presenting striking areas of different compressibility to produce different sound characteristics. However, there is no provision for utilizing different areas of one striking element of the same compressibility to extend wear so that replacement of the striker elements will not be required as frequently.